A plug and socket are complemental engagement elements for connecting an electrical device to a source of electricity. The plug is a male element with projecting prongs, and the socket, or receptacle, is a complemental female element with recessed slots to receive the prongs. Safety and consistency of the electrical engagement are of significant concern in the plug-receptacle connection. The majority of plugs and receptacles in the United States and around the world conform to the standards set by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association “NEMA”). The most common types of connectors have two prongs (known as NEMA 1 connectors) or three prongs (known as NEMA 5 connectors). The description contained herein will refer to NEMA connectors for illustrative purposes, and NEMA 5 connectors especially because of the prolific standardization of the NEMA 5 connector, but it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to NEMA connectors.
Two-prong connectors constructed according to NEMA standards are two-wire non-grounding devices and have two spaced apart, parallel blades. One of the blades is a live terminal, and the other of the blades is a neutral terminal. Three-prong connectors constructed according to NEMA standards are three-wire grounding devices and have two spaced-apart, parallel blades and a grounding pin. One of the blades is a live terminal, the other of the blades is a neutral terminal, and the grounding pin establishes a grounding connection with the earth for safety. The grounding pin is longer than the blades so that the electrical device is grounded before the electrical connection is made between the plug and the receptacle.
Generally, to remove a plug from a receptacle, a user grabs the plug or cord extending from the plug and pulls, while simultaneously bracing or pressing against the receptacle. Six to eight pounds of force are required to remove a plug from a socket because the tips of the prongs, when installed into the slots in the receptacle, are press fit into the slots. Applying sufficient force generally requires placing one hand near the receptacle. This can be dangerous and difficult for a variety of reasons. For instance, if the receptacle is one of several receptacles along a power strip or surge protector, and the power strip or surge protector is not fixed in place, the user must grasp the power strip to prevent the power strip from moving when the plug is pulled. Moreover, a power strip may have little available room for grasping, especially if all of the receptacles are occupied with plugs. Grasping near the switch of the power strip may turn off power to all of the receptacles on the power strip, thereby inadvertently shutting off all electrical devices when the user only intended to decouple a single device. In other instances, the receptacle may be in a recessed location, such as under a desk, behind a bed, or otherwise difficult to reach. It can be very cumbersome to reach with two hands into small, recessed locations to pull a plug. Often times, using two hands prevents the user from being able to position his head into the space to see where his hands are moving. In such situations, the user may pull the wrong plug, may grab a partially-installed plug and electrocute himself, or may not be able to pull with the requisite six to eight pounds of force needed to remove the plug from the receptacle. In yet other instances, individuals with only a single hand or single arm have great difficulty removing plugs from receptacles. Such users may not be able to remove plugs in recessed locations at all, and may have to use their feet to brace a receptacle when pulling a socket that is not recessed and hidden away. An improved method and device for removing a plug from a receptacle is needed.